


Boy Erased

by Jase



Category: Aaron Dingle - Fandom, Emmerdale, robert sugden - Fandom, robron
Genre: Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Dancing, Dark Past, Falling In Love, M/M, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Stripping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 17:50:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17965274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jase/pseuds/Jase
Summary: Turning 21 is meant to be fun, but Aaron Dingle doesn't do fun, at least not until he spots the bloke dancing like no one is watching.





	Boy Erased

**Author's Note:**

> New fic! The idea came from a friend (thanks Karla) that ate away at my brain. It wanted to be written. I'm still trying to figure out what it is, but hopefully it's a decent story. 
> 
> Please leave comments. Let me know ow what you think, is it worth continuing?

**CHAPTER 1**

* * *

 

 

The night was young, the sky clear, the moonlight shined, not that it was needed. The town's lights were bright enough to nearly blind someone, particularly this part of town. It was the part of town that everyone crowded to nearly every night. Bar after bar lined the streets, it was exactly the kind of place that one would go to for fun, for dancing, but really...for drinking. Anyone would be crazy to not want to celebrate there, particularly such an occasion. A twenty first birthday. Anyone but Aaron Dingle. He would rather be at home eating pizza, watching shit TV, and now legally drinking beer. Instead, he grumbles, he makes every step as slow as possible, and he fights his captor, his best mate.

After the three bars and countless pints that had been drank, he still grumbled, still faught, yet he just couldn't escape. His best mate made sure of that. Tonight was a special occasion after all. "A special occasion like this, calls for a special place." At least that's what his best mate Adam kept saying, and after the three bars he had been dragged to already, Aaron was expecting anything...anything but this place.

He had heard about this place and on several occasions he had almost worked up the courage to check it out, but he always managed to chicken out at the last minute.  As he felt his heart beating faster than ever before, he couldn't help but feel ridiculous as he walked into the place. How did this happen? How did he let Adam talk him into it? Into going inside the only gay strip club in town. It was his twenty first birthday and Adam wasn't taking no for an answer. He kept his hands firmly to Aaron's shoulders, pushing him through the final doors that led to the inside, and threw his head back in laughter as he felt Aaron tense, nearly turning to stone in place. Aaron could feel the heat building in his face, the embarrassment showing in shades of red, and all he wanted was to get out. This just wasn't his thing. Even if he had almost dared himself to walk in before. It was ridiculous.

“Mate, don't even think about it.” Adam shot him a look as Aaron looked over his shoulder, looking for the doors, for a quick escape.

“This isn't even your scene.” Aaron shot back at him, his voice equally annoyed and bemused, as he tried to shout over the thumping music. “It's blokes getting naked, that really what you want to see?” He asked as he nodded his head around, gesturing to all the perfectly sculpted blokes dancing on table tops. 

“Doesn't matter, mate.” Adam laughed. “I'm doing this for you.” He made a face as if tasting something bitter. Naked blokes were definitely not his thing, but he was always up for a good time. Specially if it meant winding up his best mate.

Aaron had no real response to that. He knew it was true. His best mate would do anything for him. Including taking him to a gay strip club. He let out a scoff determined to slip away from him. As much as he appreciated it, he just wasn't going to go through with this. He quit resisting Adam, making him release his grip on him, and he quickly spun around him making a run for it. He didn't get far though. He came to a stop and nearly tripped over himself when he saw him. The blond bloke dancing in the cage near the center of the space. Somehow he had missed him when they first entered. Might have been when he was too busy hoping the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

The bloke, he was mesmerizing. The fair skin, his body, as well as the freckles that adorned it. Even in the darkness of the room, Aaron could see them. The dark shades of purple and blue lights that filled the room nearly made him glow, every bit of the lights bouncing off his impeccable skin, making every detail pop as if the lighting was designed just for him. He watched as the bloke moved, as he gyrated his hips, and pressed his bare chest against the flat bars of the cage he danced within, sending everyone around him into a frenzy. As full as the room was with dancers, he seemed to draw the biggest crowd. Men of all ages stood around his cage, some dancing along to the music, but most just stood there waving their hands filled cash at him. Several of them would reach past the bars and try to touch him as the shoved notes down his trunks. They all wanted him, they all hoped they could win his attention, and they all dreamed they could have him like a trophy. Yet, despite all the chaotic desperation, he seemed almost oblivious to it all. His eyes were closed and his body moved to the music in perfect synchronicity. There was something so wild about him, so free, so uninhibited.

Aaron just stood there. He watched. He lost all sense of time. He didn't even notice Adam laughing beside him. “Why don't you get a closer look.” Adam spoke into his ear making sure he was heard, and finally grabbed his attention. 

“Fuck off.” Aaron bit back trying to play it cool, trying to pretend he hadn't been mesmerized.

“Mate, just go.” Adam nudged him with his shoulder, nearly making him trip. “I'll go get us some drinks.”

As Adam disappeared into the crowd near the bar, Aaron kept his eyes on bloke, unable to look away as he felt himself drawn in. The bloke in question, in his own world just kept at it, kept dancing to the beat of the music. His hands raised above his head as he turned, and grabbed onto the bars while his hips slowly swayed from side to side as Aaron kept watch. His movements were like that of a flame that burned out of control. They were quick, intense, and every eye followed unable to look away. For a brief moment, Aaron managed to peel his eyes away long enough to find a table nearby he could take. Somewhere he could pretend he wasn't just staring, even though it was all he was doing. Part of him cursed himself for falling prey, like a moth drawn into an open flame. He couldn't believe he was doing it, not like he hasn't seen a naked bloke before, a much more naked bloke than this for that matter. This was different though. It wasn't even the state of undress that was pulling him in. It was something else. It was something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Perhaps it was how free the blond looked despite the cage. Maybe it was how at ease he looked with himself, with his movements, with everyone around him gawking. There was a confidence he wish he had himself. 

“Oi.” The snapping of Adam's fingers in front of his face finally pulled Aaron from his trance. “Mate!” Adam laughed. He'd never seen Aaron like this. He'd seen the way he looked at blokes he fancied before, but this, this was something else. This was different. “Why don't you go put some cash inside them little pants of his?” He added as he gently slammed a stack of notes on the table.

“Do one.” 

Adam only smiled in return. It looked like the night had gone far better than he had hoped for. After years of knowing Aaron, he only expected him to get dead pissed before the end of the night, and only grunting whenever he suggested a bloke for Aaron to chat up. Grumpy little shit he was. 

“Mate, it's okay if you fancy him.” Adam said as if it was the most natural thing. “I mean...the bloke's fit. That body. That mug. I'm serious, you better get up there before I do. I'm not sure how much longer I can resist him.” He laughed. 

“You're a dick, you know that?” Aaron muttered before placing the pint in front of him to his lips, and taking a large gulp. He made a face as he let himself breath, and then followed with the rest of the pint.

“That's it, mate!” Adam encouraged him.

Aaron shook his head as wiped the back of his hand across his lips, he quickly took a glance at Adam, and opened his mouth. “Don't wait up for me.” He said and walked away from the table, barely managing to hear Adam behind him. 

“You sure you can pull that?”

Aaron lifted his hand over his shoulder and gave Adam the finger.

 

~~~~

 

The beat of the music fills the air and keeps him moving, it's all he ever focuses on really. The fast beats, the heavy tempos, the sort of sounds that make him want to dance. He zones everything else out and only concentrates on his dancing, on the reactions, and on the faces that grab his attention. The faces of those he knows will tip the best. The faces with the bigger pockets. He's come to know how to read the signs, what to look for. It's what Robert's always been good at, reading people, and tonight is no different, tonight is just like any other night, only he's had a bad day, and all he wants to do is dance. He wants to forget about his troubles, he wants to drown  soout sthe world around him, so he closes his eyes and dances.

It's the music, the beats, the melodies, they help him drown it all out, they help him hideaway within himself. The dancing, the dancing comes second, the dancing makes him feel free. He'd spent enough time feeling caged, feeling trapped, and for a brief moment he laughs to himself. The irony of where he finds himself dancing. Regardless, it's his choice now. He can be free. He can do what he wants. He can be free. He keeps his eyes closed and dances.

It's not until he feels a wandering hand on his inner thigh that he fully opens his eyes and pulls away masterfully. He turns and grins hiding his disgust for the fucker that dared touch him without permission, and shakes his finger in the direction of the fucker in question. It's then that he manages to catch what appears to be a couple fighting. A fit bloke walking away from his boyfriend, maybe ex now, who's shouting something at him. Robert smiles when he sees the bloke flip the finger over his shoulder, and figures it must have been well deserved. It's not long before he sees the jilted lover gulp down his pint and walk away, and he turns to follow the other bloke's movements. He dances all the while his eyes follow the bloke, they follow him until he settles nearby, and still as he leans against a wall, only turning away when their eyes meet. He gulps hard and pretends like he hadn't been looking. Only he's struck by the bloke's eyes. The crystal blue eyes that glistened like the ocean waves under the sun, even in the darkly lit room. He's still thinking about them as he looks away, he's still thinking about the way they had looked at him. 

He continues to dance, continues to drown everything out, and for a brief moment he closes his eyes and he sees them. He sees the crystal blue eye looking at him, and it catches him off guard, nearly making him stumble as he tries to shake them out of his head. Without missing a beat he continues to dance and it's not until he hears the last call go out that he notices the bloke is still there, still watching him, and he can't help the smile that sweeps across his own face, and even less the wink he sends in the bloke's direction. 

As the crowd finally dies down, he kneels down to collect all the lose cash, and stuffs it into one of his boots before opening the door to the cage, and climbing out. He feels a sense of rush, of excitement, something he hasn't quite felt before, and certainly not with the usuals. He looks over to the bloke with a bit of a grin, and nods towards the bar. “You want to buy me drink?” He asks and swallows hard as he walks past him, not waiting for an answer. Cocky fucking move, then again it's warranted, he's fit and he knows it. It's the only thing he has going for him. He turns to the bar and ignores the grumbles from the other patrons, the ones who feel like they should be the ones buying him a drink.

He smiles when he feels the body next to him, moving a bit faster as it tries to catch up to him. “What are ya having?” The voice asks. It's a bit timid, but it's deep, it's raspy, and it sends a tingle up Robert's spine. 

"Wow, and you're not even going to ask for my name." Robert teases.

"Oh...uh...yeah...urhm...uh...what's...what's uh, your name?" Aaron epically stumbles.

"Robert." He answers. “And I'll have a whiskey.”

The bloke nods and quickly asks the bartender for two whiskeys as they reach the bar, money's exchanged and the drinks are served. The bloke nervously runs a hand through his drink as he takes a deep breath, and he hands Robert his drink before placing the other to his own lips. “Cheers.” He says and tips it back. 

He's not sure if it's the drinks or if it's the genuine good time he's having, but an hour later Robert finds himself sitting in a diner with the bloke. They're smiling, laughing, and just talking. They talk about nothing yet everything. Mostly they joke, particularly about the events that led to this moment. To Robert's pick up line. To the moment Robert lost the upper hand he clearly thought he had. 

“Does that ever work?” Aaron asks through a squinty smile.

“Until tonight.” Robert could feel the flush in his face, he was genuinely embarrassed. He wasn't sure of what came over him. Why he even asked. _The drinks._ He thinks to himself. He wasn't quite sure if he had been genuinely flirting or just trying to get laid. 

“You're such a knob.” Aaron laughed. 

“Oi.” Robert feigned offense. He had something in mind as a comeback, only his mind trailed off when he heard the music that had been playing in the background, and began to sing along. 

 

 _“Cause I'm just a girl, little ol' me_  
_Well don't let me out of your sight_  
_Oh, I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite_  
_So don't let me have any rights_ _  
_ Oh, I've had it up to here!”

 

He made sure to raise his hand flat down for emphasis and Aaron looked at him like he was mad. 

“What you doing?” Aaron asked nervously looking around. 

“I love this song. This band actually.” He replied before going back to the song. 

Half the diner was watching, not that it was full really, but there were enough people present to clearly make Aaron nearly die of second hand embarrassment. Robert closed his eyes and continued with the song momentarily, only to open them back up to see the ocean looking back at him. There was something about the way Aaron looked at him that made him feel a flutter in his stomach. No one had ever looked at him that way. Aaron wasn't looking at him like some prize, like a trophy to show off. The way Aaron looked at him, it was almost as if he was looking into him, searching for something. His voice trembled and he lost his train of thought, the lyrics to the song long forgotten, he tried to recover. “Do I have something on my face?” He wiped a hand across it. 

He could see the flush in Aaron's face, there was a hint of embarrassment there, as if he had been caught staring. He smiled and opened his mouth to say something, only his eyes darted behind Aaron when he heard a familiar voice walk through the doors. “Shit.” He muttered under his breath. “I uh…I'm going to hit the bogs real quick. Be right back.” He said as he quietly slithered out of his seat and quickly made his way towards the back and into the bogs. He took one last look at Aaron and cursed the universe for ruining his night, for ruining the best night he'd had in a long time. He turned and entered the bogs looking for the window he knew was there, it wouldn't be the first time he'd done this, nor his second. Gently, he lifted the window open and climbed through.

 

~~~~

 

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, it's everything that would make just about anyone happy, but Aaron isn't having it. He's been in a right mood for over a week now. Ever since that night. 

“Mate!” Adam gently shoved him with his own shoulder as they walked. They had somehow managed to make it out of theirs early enough to stop by their favorite coffee shop before going in for their shift at the garage. “You need to get over him, he's clearly not worth it.” 

Aaron only grumbled in response. He knew Adam was right. Robert had ditched him, and not just ditched him, but left him to foot the bill as well. The arse ordered food, ate it, and disappeared. Still, he couldn't help but feel like maybe he did something wrong. Maybe it was his fault that Robert had ditched him. Otherwise, it meant that what he had felt was nothing more than just his imagination, but it wasn't. Was it? He shook his head as he thought about it, as he thought about the connection he had felt, as he thought about the butterflies in his stomach, as he thought about the way Robert sang along to the song so carefree. There had to have been something there. There just had to. 

“I see it.” Adam interrupted his thoughts, poking at his head. “I see your head just spinning excuses in there. He's not worth it, man. There's plenty other blokes out there.”

“It's just…” He starts but is quickly loses his train of thought when he spots him. Robert.

“It's just...what?” Adam asks. 

Aaron doesn't reply, he's too busy watching Robert walking towards the coffee shop, a hundred thoughts running through his mind, mostly insults to sling at him for what he did. He's so preoccupied with his thoughts he's not even aware he's picked up his pace, at least not until Adam's shouting after him.

“Oi! Slow down, will ya!” It's not really a question. More like a simple request. Adam's not one for mornings and certainly not before his doze off caffeine.

Aaron slows down, almost comes to a complete stop, but not because of Adam. He comes to a near stop because he sees Robert do the same. He watches as he stops in front of the beggar outside the coffee shop, and reaches into his pocket pulling out a few notes, and kneeling down to hand them to the poor bloke. He watches as the man's face lights up and nods a thanks to Robert before he stands and walks into the coffee shop.

“Ad.” He calls to Adam.

“Yeah?” 

“You go on ahead to the garage, yeah?” He asks. “I'll go get us some coffee.” 

“What? Why?” 

“Robert just uh...walked in there” 

“You sure?” He asks, only to get a glower in return. Adam raised his hands as if signaling defeat and nods in response. “Don't let him off easy.” 

Just like before, Aaron's mind starts racing. He's thinking all sorts, thinking about what he'll say to Robert, the insults he'll throw in his direction, the questions he wants to ask, but his mind keeps going back to him kindly giving his cash to the bloke outside. He can't be all bad. Not if he's kind enough to do that when everyone else simply walked past the man as if he didn't exist, as if he meant nothing. He does the same on his way in, he pulls out a few notes from his pocket and hands them over to the grateful man, then walks into the coffee shop. 

The smell of coffee and pastries fills the air, nearly every inch of the small shop is filled with people waiting for their drinks, but somehow above it all, Aaron's attention is solely focused on finding Robert. Like magnets attracted to metal, his eyes zone in on him, he can see Robert at the counter waiting in queue to pay, so he hangs back for a moment and watches. As mad and confused as he is, he won't deny just how fit Robert looks. Even just standing there, there's something about him, an air of arrogance almost, in the way he carries himself. It boggles Aaron's mind thinking about it, there's no way the bloke waiting in line can be the same one that just handed his cash to the homeless man, can it? 

When Robert steps up to pay for his coffee, an Americano, he digs into his pocket and a look of what almost looks like horror splashes across his face. He digs in them for a moment before giving up and reaching for his wallet and cautiously hands a card over to the cashier. 

“I'm sorry, mate.” The cashier speaks up. “It's been declined.” 

If Robert hadn't looked mortified before he certainly did as he apologized and handed them another card. 

As the cashier swiped the card through the machine and waited, Aaron could see the pity that was basically tattooed to their forehead. “I'm sorry, mate. This one's declined too.” 

“I'll get that.” Aaron said as he stepped beside Robert, handing over a card to the cashier. “I owe you anyway.” He added hoping not to offend him. 

Everything felt like it stopped for a moment. Panic had set in the second he realized he had given the bloke outside the last of his cash, and even more so when he knew damn well neither of his cards would work, yet the moment he saw Aaron it seemed to double over. Part of him would rather simply be humiliated for being unable to pay for his coffee, than to deal with this. Yeah, he liked Aaron, he liked him a lot, but after what he had done to him. He knew Aaron would ask for an explanation. “Thanks.” He smiled, pushing those thoughts aside.

“Can...can we talk?” 

 _Fuck._ Robert thought and nodded before gesturing to an empty table near the windows. 

“So?” Aaron asked as they both took a seat.

“So...what?” Robert tried to be smart only to have Aaron shoot him a glare, one that completely disarmed him. He wasn't sure why, but something about Aaron made him not want to lie to him. His shoulders dropped and he let out a deep breath. “I'm sorry, okay!” 

“Sorry's not good enough.”

“Look, I had...an emergency.” He lied, poorly.

Aaron didn't reply he simply stood up and began to walk away making Robert reach for his hand just as quickly. “Wait. Wait.” He pulled him back. 

“Well?” Aaron raised his shoulders in question. He didn't bother sitting down, he wanted Robert to know he meat business. He wasn't going to stick around unless Robert gave him something solid. Unless he told him the truth. 

“I had to make a quick escape, didn't I?” Robert gave in.

“Was it something I did?”

“Oh god no!” Robert was quick to reply. The last thing he wanted was for Aaron to think it was his own fault. “That was...that was the most fun I've had in ages.” He smiled. 

“So you thought you'd up and leave?” 

Robert groaned out loud. “Look, someone walked in, someone I needed to avoid and there was no other way out.” 

“Than to leave me there like an idiot, waiting for you.” Aaron shot back. “You know, I waited there for like an hour, thinking maybe you got sick or something.”

“Fuck.” Robert wiped his hand down his face as his guilt ate away at him. He'd felt bad enough before, but now it was even worse. “Well, I've already been humiliated today, I guess I might as well tell ya.” 

“Tell me what?”

“That night...the reason I left was because my landlord walked in.” He tells Aaron before taking a sip from his Americano. “Mind you, the bloke's a total dick on a regular basis, but I sort of owed him two month’s rent, and...well...I kind of wanted to avoid this.” He gestures between them. 

“This what?” 

“This…embarrassment.” He nearly hissed out. 

“What's so embarrassing about it?” 

“Oh yeah? When's the last time you were late on your rent?” Robert asks. 

Robert's got him there, he's never been behind on rent. Money's never really been an issue for him. Not when his family had several successful businesses. A popular pub, garage, and haulage business that all run out of a small village had kept his family well off. He had no real answer, nothing to help Robert feel less awkward about the situation. 

“Thought so.” 

“You could've just told me you know?” 

“Yeah, that's rich. Like I'm going to tell the fit bloke I'd just picked up what a mess I really am?” He says without really realizing what he was saying. “You'd have run for it.” 

Aaron smiles at his words. Yeah, he heard what he said, but only one thing really clicked. “You think I'm fit?” He smiled, whatever bit of anger he had felt earlier in the day for Robert had long been forgotten. So had everything else. 

“Shut up.” 

“What are you doing tonight?” 

“Why?” 

“I want to take ya…” He's trying to ask when a ringer goes off in his pocket. Adam's name is displayed on the screen as he pulls it out to see who it was. “Shit.” He hisses as he realizes he should be at work. “I...I have to go.” He tells Robert as he stands already looking towards the door, and only stopping when he sees the disappointed look on Robert's face. “Seriously, what are you doing tonight?” 

“I'm working.” 

“Where?” 

Robert laughs. “You know where you idiot.” 

“Oh.” Aaron says as his eyebrows raise when he remembers. Robert dancing half naked is not something one could forget. “Then I might stop by for a drink.”

“I'll hold you to that.” Robert smiles as Aaron makes for the door. “Oh and thanks for the coffee.” He nearly shouts as he feels his stomach making flips at the thought of seeing Aaron again. Yeah, he might be a bit taken with him.

 

 

 

 


End file.
